Electric switch



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 22, 1949. A. RAPPL ELECTRIC swmcn Filed Sept. 19, 1945 INVENTOR fi/YTOH Rn PPL BY W,M+Qw.

ATTORNEYS A. RAPPL ELECTRIC gwmcn Feb. 22, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 19, 1945 INVENTO'R Huron Rn PPL.

ATTO NEYS in either direction from a neutral position,

Patented Feb. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,462,777 ELECTRIC swrrcn Anton Rappl, Eggertsville, N. Y., assignor to Trico Products Corporation, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application September 19, 1945, Serial No. 617,338

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates in general to electric switches, and particularly to a switch operable such as might be employed for controlling a window operating system like that shown and described in the copending application of Erwin C. Horton, Serial No. 583,147, filed March 16, 1945. In the said application, a two-way switch button is employed, one for causing the window to be elevated and the other for causing it to be lowered.

The principal object of the invention has been to provide a double acting switch controlled by a single turn knob, whereby a suitable circuit for opening or closing the window may be energized.

Another object has been to provide a. double throw switch with simple and efficient means for keeping the control shaft thereof in its neutral position and returning it to neutral from either of its positions of operation upon release by the operator.

Moreover, it has been an object to provide a switch so designed as to facilitate the assembling of the parts in proper relation to each other.

The above objects and advantages have been accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing the use of the switch of the invention in connection with a window operating system;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view;

Fig. 3 is a slightly reduced view of the back of the switch;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view showing the interior of the switch with the terminal plate removed;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the contact arm and associated parts being removed; and

Fig. 6 is a face view of the contact arm.

The switch is to be used in the same manner as the switch of the aforesaid copending application to remotely control the fluid motor of a window operating system. in Fig. 1, i i represents the window panel which is mounted for vertical movement in guideways H carried by the vehicle. A fluid motor :22 provides motive power for elevating and lowering the panel. This motor is provided with a piston it to which a flexible power transmitting member i5 is attached. This flexible member passes through suitable heads at each end of the cylinder and is connected to the panel by means of brackets It. The switch which is indicated at 20 in Fig. 1 is connected by means of a lead 2! to a suitable source of electricity, as for instance the battery 22, the other side of the battery being grounded at 23. Two leads 24 and 25. connected to terminals to be hereinafter described, extend to solenoid operated control valves 26 of a type shown and described in said copending application. The pressure line to this valve is indicated at 30, and receives its source of suction either from the vehicle motor or from a suitable vacuum pump. This pressure line is connected to the casing of the valve 26 and is communicable to either branch conduit 3| or 32 which conduits are in communication with opposite ends oi the fluid motor i2, whereby upon suitable operation of the control switch, the motor will be actuated and the window panel lowered or elevated accordingly. The solenoid operated control valve is shown grounded at 33 through the leads 34.

The control switch of the present invention comprises a housing 35 having suitable fastening ears 36, whereby it may be secured in place. The housing is provided with a chamber opening into the rear face of the housing and between the fastening ears. The chambe 40 terminates in a bottom wall ii in which is provided a shaft bearing 52 concentric with the chamber.

Journaled within the bearing 42 is a control shaft 53 having a yoke 44 within the housing chamber. The yoke has a base i5 and two outwardly extending control arms 46 and 5D. The yoke base and the adjacent ends of the control arms are disposed within a stop recess 5| in the chamber wall shaped to conform thereto and of such site as to permit limited oscillation of the yoke therein. Stop shoulders 52 are formed at each side of the recess for engagement by the arms to limit their oscillatory movement.

The control shaft is provided with a central stud 53, extending outwardly from the base between the control arms coaxially with the shaft. This stud is formed at its extreme outer end with a pilot 54 for journal support in the fixed terminal carrying plate 55, to be hereinafter described. Arranged about the stud 53 is a centralizing spring 58 having its ends overlapped in spaced relation and engaging opposite sides of a centralizing lug ti on the side wall of the housing chamber. This lug is preferably of the same width as the control arm 46 whereby the arm will also be engaged by said spring ends when in its neutral position. Obviously, initial tension is placed upon the spring so that its ends will be maintained in firm contact with said lug and said control arm 46, whereby to maintain the yoke in its neutral position and to return it to nected respectively to buttons 9| and 92.

3 such position when released by the operator from either position of actuation.

Diametrically arranged slots 62 and 63 are arranged in the marginal portion 64 of the housing for the accommodation of the terminal plate 55. This terminal plate which is of dielectric material preferably fits within the marginal portion and has cars 16 and 1| extending into the slots 62 and 63. The slot 62 and engaged ear iii are of considerably less width than the slot 63 and engaged ear 1|, whereby the terminal plate may be assembled in only one position, thereby avoiding any confusion in the arrangement of the terminals carried by the plate. The slots 62 and 63 are preferably out deeply enough to cause the terminal plate to be inset suiiiciently from the back face of the housing so as to clear all the terminals and connections carried by the plate, to be hereinafter described.

The outer ends of the control arms of the yoke are in spaced relation with the inner surface of the terminal plate and are provided with driving lugs 12 and 13, respectively, extending above shoulders 14. A contact arm is arranged opposite the ends of the control arms and is formed with an aperture 16 for engagement with the driving lug 13 and with a slot 8e for engagement with the driving lug 12. The driving lugs with their engaging recesses are preferably of different sizes so as to assure correct assembling. The contact arm is of substantially the same thickness as the length of the lugs and seats upon the shoulders 14. This contact arm is preferably of dielectric material and a con- 46 and 5G tact making plate 8| is secured thereto by turning over the edge portions 82 of the plate into the slots 83 in the margins of the contact plate. The slot 83 at one side of the contact arm 1.5 is narrower than the slot at the opposite side thereof and the turned over portions 82 of the contact-making plate are of substantially corresponding widths, whereby in assembling the parts, the operator will be sure to arrange them in the proper relationship. The contact-making plate 8| is provided with a centrally arranged aperture I00 which is preferably larger than the stud 53 over which it passes, so that there can be no electrical contact between the plate and the stud.

A spacer plate 84 of dielectric material is arranged between the contact plate and the contact arm so as to prevent electrical contact between the plate 8| and the driving lugs 12 and 13. The parts 15, 8| and 84 compose a contact arm unit which is held lnterengaged with the arms 46 and 50 by and upon placement of the terminal" plate 55. The contact-making plate 8| is formed at one end with a wide contact portion 85, and

at its opposite end with a relatively narrow contact portion 86. The relatively wide portion 85 is in uninterrupted electrical contact with a supply contact point 90 carried by the terminal plate. Two additional contact points 9| and 92 are also carried by the terminal plate and they are arranged in normally spaced relation with the contact portion 88 but are engageable therewith upon movement of the contact plate from neutral position to either of its extreme circuit closing positions. The supply lead 2| is connected to the contact button 9|] and leads 24 and are conterminal plate is held in place bylscrews 93 which thread into bosses 94 formed on the housing. The pilot 54 of the control shaft journals in an aperture 95 in the terminal plate to give carried by said support thereto. The outer end of the control shaft is formed with a knob 96 by which it may bie turned in either direction from a neutral pos tion.

From the foregoing, it will be obvious that the interengaged parts are readily placed in proper relation when being assembled, thereby saving time and avoiding improper assembling.

It is further observed that when the control shaft is operated either clockwise or counterclockwise to the limit of its movement, as deelectrical contact with the corresponding one of the contacts Si or 92, and that upon release of the shaft it will be returned to neutral.

being merely invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A two-way electric switch, comprising a housing, an operating shaft journaled in said housing and having spaced lugs Within said housing, tension means yieldably maintaining said shaft in a neutral position, a terminal plate housing and provided with contact buttons, and a contact 'arm comprising a dielectric plate carried by the lugs and formed in each of its longitudinal opposite edges with a recess, and a contact-making plate disposed over said dielectric plate and secured thereto by tabs formed on said contact-making plate and engageable with the recesses of said dielectric plate.

2. A two-way electric switch comprising a housing, an operating shaft joumaled therein in either direction from a neutral position, resilient means yieldably maintaining said shaft in the neutral position, said housing being formed in its rearwardly extending edge with oppositely arranged recesses of different widths, a terminal plate formed with projecting tabs of different widths for comfortable engagement with said edge recesses of said body, and contact means on the shaft cooperable with the terminal plate to close a circuit when moved from the neutral position, and a contact arm mounted within the housing, said contact arm having openings of different sizes for the conformable reception of the lugs, whereby part of the device may be assembled in the correct positions only.

3. A two-way electric switch comprising a housing, an operating shaft journaled therein and operable in either direction from a neutral 9. preferred embodiment of the position, resilient means yieldably maintaining said shaft in the neutral position, said shaft having a pair of radially spaced lugs of different contours, a terminal plate having contact means thereon, and a contact arm mounted within the housing, said contact arm having openings of different sizes for the conformable reception of the lugs, whereby part of the device may be as- 6 the shaft having a retaining shoulder engaging the inner face of the end wall, the protruding REFERENCES CITED end of the shaft serving as a means by which th The following references are of record in the shaft may be turned, a contact arm insertible file of this patent: through the open end of the housing and mov- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS ahle axially into interlocking arrangement with the shaft for being turned thereby, and a ter- Number Name 418 minal plate secured to the housing over the ,7 5,774 Lloyd Mar. 19, 1929 contact arm and shaft to secure both parts against displacement from the housing. 10

ANTON RAPPL. 

